FLORENCE, S.C. – The 22nd-ranked Francis Marion University baseball team learned early Monday morning that it was not among those selected to the NCAA Division II national tournament.

Francis Marion finished the year 36-18 and placed third during the Peach Belt Conference regular season. FMU was fourth in last week’s regional poll and had won 14 of its final 17 regular-season games, but the Patriots went 1-2 in last weekend’s PBC Tournament. Francis Marion was looking for its fourth NCAA invitation in the past five years.

The 48-team NCAA tournament field consists of eight six-team regionals. The South Atlantic Regional includes host Mount Olive College (46-11), Columbus State University (43-17), Georgia College & State University (44-13), Armstrong Atlantic State University (39-21), USC Aiken (38-22), and Virginia State University (22-29).

Mount Olive (CVAC), AASU (Peach Belt), and Virginia State (CIAA) were the three automatic qualifiers, having won their conference tournament championships, while Columbus State, GCSU, and USCA received at-large invitations.

The most damaging statistic for the Patriots may have been the fact that Francis Marion lost all four meetings with USCA this season, including Saturday’s elimination game in the PBC Tournament.

“Yes, we are disappointed,” said FMU head coach Art Inabinet, “but overall we had a good year. We controlled our own destiny at the Peach Belt Tournament, but did not advance as far as we needed to. We probably needed to win at least one more game to get in. We entered Friday with a 31-3 record when leading after five innings, and then dropped two straight games in the final few frames.”

“No matter the outcome, I am very proud of our group of seniors. These student-athletes helped us to a school-record 140 wins over the past four years and represented the university well both on and off the field.”

FMU previously earned invites to the NCAA Tournament in 2006, 2005, 2003, 1993, and last year the Patriots advanced to the Division II College World Series.

The 36 wins are the second-most in team history. Eight of the team’s losses were to nationally ranked opponents. Dating back to 2005, the Patriots have appeared in 48 consecutive national polls.

FMU loses only five seniors off this year’s squad.